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min answer › question first answered

2017-09-08T16:30:03.843Z

answer › answering member constituency

North East Bedfordshire

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<p>We are working with countries across the Arabian Peninsula and the Gulf to reduce
the threat from Al Qaeda and other terrorist groups. Conflict, including that in Yemen,
allows terrorist organisations to establish themselves and spread their message of
violence and extremism. We continue to work with our partners, including those in
the Gulf, to deny terrorist organisations the space in which to operate. We are also
playing a major role in supporting a resolution of the conflict to further reduce
risks to the UK.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, whether he has
filed the case of Bahraini death-row inmate and victim of torture Zuhair Ebrahim under
his Department's torture and mistreatment reporting guidance.

<p>We are aware of the case of Zuhair Ebrahim, and we are seeking further information.
<br> <br>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office registers details of alleged torture
whenever this comes to the attention of a UK official in the course of their duties,
in line with the UK Torture and Mistreatment Reporting Guidance.</p><p>We encourage
those with concerns about treatment in detention to report these to the relevant human
rights oversight bodies.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what representations
he has made to the Bahraini Government on the case of Zuhair Ebrahim who was sentenced
to death on 29 November 2018.

<p>The Foreign and Commonwealth Office monitors events in Bahrain closely. We are
aware of the case of Zuhair Ebrahim and are seeking further information. It is the
UK's longstanding position to oppose capital sentences in all circumstances and countries.
We continue to make this clear to the Government of Bahrain.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, What financial support
her Department has provided to Zimbabwe in each of the last ten years; and how much
financial support her Department plans to provide to that country in each of the next
three years.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what measures the Government
is putting in place with the Nigerian Government to support the economic and developmental
potential of Nigeria's youth population.

<p>Recently, I witnessed the transformative work DFID is doing in Nigeria, with the
Government and the private sector, to build a better future for the largest youth
population in Africa. DFID is providing critical healthcare in the early stages of
life, educating over 1 million children, and supporting livelihoods, jobs and investment
across the country, and has raised the incomes of 1.38 million Nigerians since 2015.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make
representations to the Government of Iran on the appeal by Pastor Yousef Nadarkhani
against his 10-year prison sentence and two years in exile.

The human rights situation in Iran, including the harassment and persecution of Christians,
is of serious concern. The Foreign Secretary raised human rights concerns with the
Iranian Government as a notable element of his visit to Iran on 9-10 December. I did
likewise during my visit on 5 August.

To ask the Secretary of State for International Development, what assessment her Department
has made of the implications for her policies of the World Food Programme announcement
that there has been a nearly 50 per cent decrease in operations at Hodeidah port in
recent weeks.

<p>Red Sea Ports are currently operational and continue to import most of the food
and fuel on which Yemenis rely. For most of this year imports have been robust and
in some cases exceeded pre-war levels. We are however concerned about recent reports
of a reduction of imports into Yemen.</p><p> </p><p>To maintain confidence of commercial
importers, the UK recently worked with the US, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates
to agree measures with the Central Bank of Yemen to issue letters of credit to provide
foreign currency so that importers can purchase food on international markets. This
will help strengthen imports. It has also resulted in an appreciation of the Yemeni
Riyal, increasing the purchasing power of ordinary Yemenis.</p><p> </p><p>It is imperative
the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Saleef remain operational. Yemen relies on imports
to meet 90% of its basic needs like food and fuel. We therefore welcome the positive
outcomes of peace talks in Stockholm. A political settlement is the only way to bring
long-term stability to Yemen and to address the worsening humanitarian crisis.</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss
the matter of arms smuggling into Yemen with his Iranian counterpart during his forthcoming
visit to that country.

<p>The UK has longstanding concerns about Iranian involvement in Yemen, which we have
raised with the Iranian Government. The Foreign Secretary will discuss a variety of
regional and bilateral issues with his counterparts on any future visit to Iran. I
made a statement on 9 November expressing concerns about reports that Iran has provided
the Houthis with ballistic missiles, which threaten regional security and prolong
the conflict.​​</p>

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment
his Department has made of (a) trends in the levels of arms smuggling into Yemen from
Iran and (b) the effectiveness of UNVIM in preventing arms smuggling,

<p>We remain deeply concerned by the findings of the UN Panel of Experts on Yemen
that missiles, and related military equipment of Iranian origin, were introduced into
Yemen after the imposition of the targeted arms embargo. As the Panel concluded, this
puts Iran in non-compliance with UN Security Council Resolution 2216 (2015) and reaffirms
our concerns about destabilising Iranian activity in Yemen and the wider region. We
call on Iran to cease such activity, which risks escalating the conflict, and to support
a political solution to the conflict in Yemen.</p><p>The UK is providing £1.3 million
to help the UN's Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM) to facilitate commercial
imports into Hodeidah and Saleef ports by giving the Coalition confidence that weapons
are not coming in on commercial ships. Alongside this financial support, we have also
deployed UK experts to support the inspections of ships in Djibouti, increasing the
proportion of physical inspections ten-fold.</p>

<p>Saudi-led Coalition restrictions on the Red Sea ports of Hodeidah and Saleef (following
the Houthi ballistic missile attack on Riyadh on 4 November) were eased on 20 December
2017 and in April imports of fuel rose for the third month in a row, helping to keep
critical water treatment plants and clean water trucks running across the country.
However, on-going conflict and obstructions are preventing clean water trucks from
regularly reaching those in need, particularly in Houthi controlled areas. Furthermore,
vital water and sanitation services are close to collapse due to the non-payment of
salaries to public sector workers. The UN estimates that, in total, some 16 million
people across Yemen lack access to clean water and sanitation.</p><p> </p><p>The UK
continues to call on all parties to the conflict to allow unhindered commercial and
humanitarian access throughout Yemen, including for water and fuel. In addition, the
UK’s support of £170 million to Yemen in the financial year 2018/19 includes funding
to programmes that provide clean water in Yemen. In the last financial year of 2017/18,
our funding of £205 million to Yemen provided clean water and sanitation for an expected
1.2 million people.</p>